Italian Burqa Ban: Prejudice Masquerading as Paternalism?

News reports indicate that Italy may adopt a ban on burqas, following the lead of other European states like Belgium. Those who violate the ban face fines of up to Eur. 300, whereas those who coerce women to wear burqas could be fined as much as eur. 30,000 and be jailed for 12 months. As in those instances, the ban's proponents cloak their case in the garments of concern for the poor women who are forced to wear the burqa, blissfully unaware of the hypocrisy of their position. For example, the New York Times quotes Barbara Saltamartini of the Freedom Party - no irony there - as saying that the ban "will put an end to the suffering of many women who are often forced to wear the burqa or niqab, which annihilates their dignity and gets in the way of integration."

I am sure that some of these people mean well but how on earth do they claim moral superiority when all they are doing is substituting one coercive act (the burqa ban) for another coercive act (forcing women to wear the burqa)? For my critique of the bans, see here. Previous blog posts are here, here, and here.

Prince on Burqas

I've written about burqa bans previously and came across this gem from a recent interview by Prince (apparently he has given up that symbol thing and reverted to his old name):
"It's fun being in Islamic countries, to know there's only one religion. There's order. You wear a burqa. There's no choice. People are happy with that." When asked about the fate of those unhappy with having no choice, he replied: "There are people who are unhappy with everything. There's a dark side to everything."

He should probably stick to talking about music.

German Burqa Ban

The burqa ban seems to be spreading.  German lawmakers are debating whether they should follow the French model. Via the Times of India:

After a French parliamentary commission ruled earlier this week that the enveloping garment worn by some Islamic women is unacceptable and recommended a ban in schools and public offices, former Social Democratic parliamentarian, Turkish-German Lale Akgun urged for a similar ban in Germany.

"The burqa is a full-body prison that deeply threatens human rights," she told the Frankfurter Rundschau daily. "It would be an important signal for Germany to ban the burqa."
However, fellow party member Dieter Wiefelsptz rejected the suggestion.

"We have a different understanding of freedom than the French," he told the paper, adding that an enlightened Islam could not be forced.
Green party leader Cem Ozdemir said the debate overlooked the real conflict of integration, stressing that the number of women who wear burqas in Germany is low.
I've discussed objections to a legal ban in my NY Times op-ed on the subject. The arguments for a ban just don't add up. The importance given to such a marginal issue is indicative of the deep unrest in the public consciousness about Muslim immigrants, their conspicuous differentiation from the mainstream, and their overt rejection of Western values. A ban is not a cure for any of this.

My NY Times/IHT Op-Ed on French Burqa Ban

The NY Times & the International Herald Tribune published my op-ed on the French burqa ban today. Here's an excerpt:
Why the French obsession with the burqa? After all, as the French government itself has conceded, only about 1,900 women wear the full-body covering. So why are over half of the respondents in recent public opinion polls in favor of a ban on it?
The answer is simple. This is not about a fashion faux pas or women’s rights, but about sending a message to Muslims. Concerned with increasingly visible numbers of Muslims openly practicing their way of life while enjoying the privileges of life in the West, French citizens and politicians alike feel that they need to restore “Frenchness” to their streets.

You can read the full article by clicking on this link.

French Veil Ban

The French Parliamentary committee proposed a partial veil ban yesterday. The Commission’s report claims that "The wearing of the full veil is a challenge to our republic. This is unacceptable. We must condemn this excess."
The proposal is to ban burqas in hospitals, schools, government offices and on public transport. Women defying the ban are to be denied public services.
The ban’s proponents claim to be acting in the cause of equality: they pronounce that the burqa is “the symbol of the repression of women” and “is a denial of the equality between men and women and a rejection of co-existence side-by-side.”

The irony of fighting repression with a ban seems to have escaped notice. I will have more to say on this topic later.